The invention relates to sliding vane rotary power devices, and more particularly to four-phase and two-phase internal combustion engines, pumps, compressors, fluid-driven motors, and expander devices where various ones of those devices differ from others by a simple modification or replacement of a back plate portion of a split housing
This invention relates to a supercharged rotary power device of the radial sliding vane type. These types of devices are characterized in having a rotor assembly comprising a number of vanes equally spaced about the rotor and dividing the rotor chamber into discrete cavities. As the rotor turns, these vanes follow the wall contour of the rotor chamber and thereby provide cavities undergoing volume variation as the rotor rotates. The rotor chamber has an axis that can be concentric or eccentric with respect to the axis of the rotating member. This invention belongs to the former type in which the axis of the substantially oval-shaped chamber coincides with an axis of rotation and the chamber comprises two diametrically opposed quadrants of expanding cavities that are alternated by another two quadrants of contracting cavities. In a typical four-phase engine the processes of intake, compression, power and exhaust are distributed equally among the four quadrants. Additionally, the sliding vane device of the present invention can be configured to operate as a double-action pump or compressor, an expander device, or a two-cycle internal combustion engine primarily through the replacement of the back portion of the split housing and a rearrangement of exhaust ports.
Sliding vane rotary devices generally comprise straight vanes slidably received within respective slots radially formed in a rotor. As the rotor spins, vanes are driven outward by centrifugal forces to an extent constrained by the wall contour, so as to execute radially reciprocating motion as the rotor spins. In an effort to reduce vane tip loading and increase outward radial movement response, a variety of vane actuation methods have been developed. One class of devices employs a respective biasing spring disposed at the base of each vane. Another class uses a pair of controlling sidewall cam grooves engaged by sub-shafts fixed to lower side portions of a vane. Still another class uses a transfer passage connecting a pressurized fluid to the base of the vanes. Although the functionality of such means of vane actuation have been proven, they are characterized in some respects with increased friction, fluid slip, leakage, and complexity. Examples of rotary devices of the above type can be found in United States patent such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,403 to Elsherbini, U.S. Pat. No. 6,030,195 to Pingston, U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,965 to Lowther, U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,141 to McCann, U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,337 to Rosaen, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,191 to Lloyd
The present invention provides a rotary power device that can be configured, among other things, to serve as supercharged two-phase or four-phase internal combustion engine, a motor-driven pump or a compressor, a fluid-driven motor or an expander device by a simple replacement of a back portion of a split housing. Preferred embodiments of the invention comprise a medially split housing forming front and back portions, which together define a toroidal or donut shaped chamber or cavity elongated along one transverse axis and having a central axis coincident with the rotational axis of the device. The back portion comprises a central cylindrical internally projecting portion having intake channels connected to lateral ports. The mating faces of the front and back portion of the split housing include mirror-image cam grooves spaced apart by a medial annular channel that is in communication with the chamber space. The grooves have contours similar in shape to the inner peripheral wall of the chamber. Enclosed within the elongated donut-shaped chamber is a donut-shaped block rotor fixedly secured to an end shaft and rotatably carried at a front portion of the split housing. The rotor comprises a centrally bored portion having an integrated supercharger comprising a directly-driven axial inlet fan portion; where the bored portion rotatably encloses the central cylindrical projecting stator portion. The rotor comprises a plurality of radially open-ended compartments inwardly communicating through inward openings with lateral ports in the central cylindrical projecting stator portion. The radial compartments are disposed alternatively with an equal plurality of radial slots. A plurality of vanes are disposed in respective slots, each having an outer tip ring portion slidably protruding into the medial annular channel and medially surrounding ball elements entrapped within the mirror-image cam grooves, and thereby causing reciprocating sliding movement of the vanes as the rotor rotates. As the rotor spins a cavity formed between two adjacent vanes intermittently communicates with the ports in the central internally projecting stator portion so as to perform intake, compression, and power and exhaust functions. Other embodiments include ports and passages in both the central projecting stator portion and the outer stator portion.
It is desirable to increase the power output of such engines while keeping the engine compact and easily serviceable. Supercharging offers one way in which this goal can be achieved. Engine driven superchargers are normally arranged as a separate unit external to the engine housing. This gives rise to problems in arranging the drive for the supercharger and mounting it in an appropriate location where it can efficiently serve the induction system without interfering with the serviceability of the engine
In addition to embodiments serving as supercharged two-phase or four-phase internal combustion engines, the rotary device of the invention can function as a motor-driven pump or compressor with an integrated axial fan or as a pump acting as a pressure inducer. This is accomplished by replacing the back portion of the split housing with one having the appropriate port and channel configuration so that the effect of the axial induction fan is to increase the volumetric efficiency.
The present application improves over the inventor""s U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,847 by providing a supercharging capability, which includes an integrated axial fan portion within the rotor assembly. Moreover, the improved engine includes a simplified disposition of ports and a reduction of part count. The central protruding stator and back plate portions of the earlier machine become one unit, referred to as the back portion of the split housing, which has a centrally projecting stator portion.
One object of some embodiments of the invention is to provide a supercharged radial sliding vane power device having a simple, efficient and less costly means of vane actuation.
Another object of some embodiments of the invention is to provide an improved radial vane rotary power device that is light in weight, small in size, that has a simple disposition of intake and exhaust passageways and a reduced number of parts.
Yet another object of some embodiments of the invention is to provide a rotary power device that can be easily converted to another type of rotary power device, such as a supercharged four-phase or two-phase internal combustion engine, a pump, a compressor, an expander, or a fluid-driven motor or expander device, by a simple modification or replacement of a back portion of a transverse split housing.
Another object of some embodiments of the invention is to provide a four-phase or two-phase rotary internal combustion engine with integral supercharging capability.
Yet an additional object of some embodiments of the invention is to provide a positive displacement rotary pump or compressor with an integrated axial fan/pump inducer.
Although it is believed that the foregoing rather broad recital of features and technical advantages may be of use to one who is skilled in the art and who wishes to learn how to practice the invention, it will be recognized that the foregoing recital is not intended to list all of the features and advantages. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that they may readily use both the underlying ideas and the specific embodiments disclosed herein as a basis for designing other arrangements for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will realize that such equivalent constructions are within the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. Moreover, it may be noted that various embodiments of the invention may provide various combinations of the hereinbefore recited features and advantages of the invention, and that less than all of the recited features and advantages may be provided by some embodiments.